I finally got one of the henned-up deveil birds!

Annual turkey camp kick-off always starts with steak and shrimp from Elmer's. This year it was curbside to-go to avoid the corona virus.



After that it's time to settle into the barndo for some Primos Truth DVDs to get fired up for the next morning.





Now this is where it got interesting....

In the 2 months leading into turkey season I have had multiple gobblers on camera (and hens) at two particular hotspots. A creek crossing and a chufa field. Even as recent as 3/19, they have been there. What I experienced this opening weekend was unlike anything I have experienced before. It's like the turkeys vanished, but still left enough sign to make you think you've gone mad. Apparently they will cross a creek, on foot.




We set up (and walked) hardwood bottoms...



Chufa plots...



Green fields...



Roads...

All of them were void of turkeys, except hens. I called in a hen or two at almost every stop. If the hens are by themselves, where are the gobblers? Or are these hens just nesting and the gobblers have other hens? Who knows, but day one was a tough one. We ended it back at camp with some nice redfish on the half shell, which came from LA in my report here: http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2957057&Searchpage=1&Main=209537&Words=%2Blouisiana&Search=true#Post2957057





Day 2 seemed eerily similar to day one. I did at least hear a gobble at around 8:15 am, but it was once and only once. Besides being caught in a deluge rain shower and more tired feet, I did at least stumble upon one of the most delicious mushrooms in the woods. Lion's mane has a consistency like lobster or crab, and is often made into crab cakes or, as I did, sliced and seared in butter and black pepper.







Some folks only hunt mornings, when I hunt turkeys, I hunt all day. Before sunrise, quick break for breakfast, back at it until lunch, then after lunch until sunset. I don't let a single ounce of this short season go to waste when I can be in the woods. On days like these, it makes it tough to hunt so hard and come up empty-handed. But hey, that's turkey hunting. Success isn't guaranteed, and I've had whole seasons where I haven't been able to pull the trigger. It's a grind.

Monday morning (final morning before work beckoned) began with two exhausted turkey hunters, looking for any hope. Any at all. My buddy left after our gobble-less morning hunt, and I stayed to hunt the rest of the day. I tried a new side of the land, called in a curious hen which I videoed for 4 minutes clucking and yelping 10 yards in front of me. It was fun, but I can't shoot a hen in the face, legally anyways. Back to the old faithful chufa field. Nothing.

For the past two days, my buddy and I saw a gobbler with a hen way out in the middle of the field next to the barndo. This was roughly 5-6pm each day. As a last ditch effort, I brought out the gobbler lounger and plopped down in the field with a hen and jake decoy in the road. I sat, and waited, only softly clucking every now and then. About 5:15pm, I decided I had enough. Something told me, just give it until 5:30. So I sat.



This was my view of the road, you can just barely see the head of the jake decoy...



Five minutes later a gobbler appeared from seemingly nowhere in full strut and he was not happy at the jake in my set up. This, this moment made all the tough times go away. Now this bird was probably 15 yards away from me. I slowly raised my gun barrel, but he wouldn't come out of strut. Best I got was about half strut, so the new 3.5" Nitro TSS shells had their first try out.











That turkey never knew what hit him. He didn't even flop. Now, the work begins....

If you're not saving these too, you're doing it wrong.



Not sure what the crop contents are? Anyone know?





I plan to hunt a few more times, but I average only about 2 weekends available to hunt per season and maybe a handful of quick morning hunts. Sometimes that's been 3 birds in a year, sometimes only 1, and a few of nothing. There's nothing like it though, and I wish I could experience it more every year. Good luck to everyone else hunting. I'll have to catch up on all the successful hunts over the weekend, but congrats to all of you!

Ain't turkey hunting great?

Looks like a great time. Congrats!

Great story and pictures

That's awesome. I want to go with ya'll just for the meals you had.

Awesome story and pics. That redfish looks mighty fine. Also, how often do you find lions mane? I've been keeping my eye out for it and have yet to find even one specimen. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places.

how do you cook the leg/thigh? I usually just breast them out b/c everyone tells me the legs/thighs/wings aren't worth fooling with.

I put them in a crock pot all day with chicken stock and some bell peppers/onions. Then I pull all the meat off and use that meat for soups/stews/salads/etc. The stock can also be saved for soups and stews.

sounds good, I'll have to give it a try

Good job

Good write up and pics. Congrats!

Side note, I really want some fresh redfish 😀

Congrats bud.

👍

I believe the bud is a dandelion bud.

WOOHOOO!

Way to stay at it!!

Congrats!!
May there be many more!

God Bless,
David B.

Awesome write-up, thanks for sharing!

Congrats!